Department Member, Economics
University of Cambridge, Economics
Thesis Title: The Nature and Causes of Favouritism
About
Donna Harris holds a PhD and an MPhil in Economics from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Economics History from the London School of Economics. She has recently been awarded the Joint Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship from the Economics and Social Research Council and the Medical Research Council within the UK and is the founder and co-ordinator of Cambridge Experimental and Behavioural Economics Group (CEBEG) within the Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge. Her primary research interests lies in Experimental Economics, Social Neuroscience, and Development Economics. Using an interdisciplinary approach of experimental economics, social psychology, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), her post-doctoral research examines the impact of group membership on individual decision-making and behaviour, particularly the extent to which human adapt to new social groups and how group characteristics can lead to pro- or anti-social behaviour. She is also interested in understanding the nature and causes of corrupt and in-group favouring behaviour and the wider implications of such behaviours on social and economic development. She recently conducted a new experiment in Thailand jointly with Klaus Abbink in order to shed a light on the relationship between embezzlement, in-group favouritism and the current political conflict in Thailand. She was awarded research grants from the British Academy (2007-08 with Benedikt Herrmann), The Isaac Newton Trust (Trinity College, University of Cambridge, 2008-09), and the Suzy Paine Trust (Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge, 2006-07).
